Inspirational Summer Food & Drink Festival planned for Nottingham

NOTTINGHAM, U.K. - Feb. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- The Nottingham Food & Drink Festival (http://www.nottinghamfoodfestival.co.uk),16 - 17 August, set in the spectacular backdrop of the Elizabethan Wollaton Mansion and Park, promises to be an inspirational event for specialist food and drink enthusiasts.  Artisan regional and local food and drink in the Nottingham area is abundant and the Nottingham Food & Drink Festival hopes to capture the very essence of its popularity. The event will have a summer festival feel about it, with jazz bands and the Caribbean’s own Levi Roots set to entertain.

The Festival’s ‘Chefs on Stage’ plan to give show visitors a series of entertaining and instructive live demonstrations. A unique line up of national and regional star chefs, who bring an intriguing selection of international food backgrounds and influences, includes:

v  Mark Lloyd, renown for his expertise on British wild food, foraging, and farm to fork ethos, saw him head up the first River Cottage Canteen

v  Levi Roots, the Rastafarian musician, turned chef, entrepreneur and cookery author, hit the big time when he secured Dragon’s Den funding for his home made Reggae Reggae Sauce, a delightful mix of barbecue and jerk sauce

v  Shelina Permalloo, winner of BBC MasterChef 2012, with her creative dishes learnt from her Mauritian mother and aunt. Shelina features on the Channel 4 hit series What’s Cooking?, and is a regular guest on This Morning.

v  Mat Follas’ New Zealand heritage and extensive global travels is reflected in his cooking influences.  Winner of BBC MasterChef 2009, his restaurant, The Wild Garlic, has 2 AA Rosettes and is recommended in The Good Food Guide, The Michelin Guide and listed as a rising star in the Trencherman’s guide.

v  Former digger driver, Dean Edwards, changed his life through becoming a runner up in MasterChef 2006.  Dean has been a regular chef on ITV’s Lorraine and This Morning, and his first book, Mincespiration, was published in 2013.

A Real Ale Marquee will be a central social spot, and is dedicated to a multitude of microbreweries selling beers and ciders in a convivial, communal Beer Festival atmosphere.

The Festival’s range of Food Halls will feature a line up of local and regional speciality food and drinks producers,with a particular focus on British food provenance, locally reared meats, artisan baking and foods with micro - breweries and a real ale marquee. In addition to the celebrity chefs, a number of exhibitors will have on stand demonstrations and workshops.

As well as sampling and shopping, hungry visitors to the Nottingham Food and Drink Festival, can set their taste buds alight, with a plethora of individual and specialist food stalls in the extensive Piazza.  From Far Eastern noodles, Spanish tacos, and sausages from around the globe, you can also try exotic sounding dishes such as ‘Penguin Pie’ (the name does not reflect the ingredients), or ‘Buffalo Pie’ (where the name does reflect the ingredients).

With a wide range of ice creams and tempting offers for children, visitors can relax, eat and listen to local music in the beautiful setting of Wollaton Park.

www.nottinghamfoodfestival.co.uk